Dom Shaw is champ again in Darlo 10k
DOMINIC SHAW retained his Sherwoods Darlington 10k title while Birtley’s Tracy Millmore eventually topped the podium after finishing third on three previous occasions.
Close to 2,000 competitors were sent off on their way by the town’s Mayor and it was Shaw, who set a new course record of 30min 06secs last year, who cut out the early proceedings.
At the halfway point the New Marske athlete had a 25-metre lead over Leeds-based Cheltenham athlete Graham Rush, whose last appearance in the North East was a few weeks back when he stormed home to win the Durham City 5k.
Leeds City’s Wondiye Indelbu was a similar distance adrift in third place, Millmore back in 35th and well clear of second-placed Sharon Barlow of Harrogate.
The extremely humid conditions began to tell as the second circuit unfolded, though it did not seem to affect the leader as he forged relentlessly on to come home in 30:18 more than a minute ahead of Rush with Indelbu finishing a close-up third.
It was not surprising Rush tired in the closing stages for on Saturday night he contested a BMC meeting over 5,000 metres in Milton Keynes where he posted a sub-15 mintes to finish in third place.
Shaw’s New Marske teammate proved the stronger of the chasing group to finish in fourth place - just one second ahead of Sunderland’s Kevin Jeffress.
Millmore, meanwhile, was delighted to eventually come out on top after contesting the race on four previous occasions.
It proved a comfortable victory - Barlow finished runnerup 59 seconds adrift - with Millmore saying: “I was pleased to eventually come out on top after finishing third three times - including last year.
“Twelve months ago I ran 36:14 and though I was slightly slower today I was still pleased as I am in a spell of high-mileage training in preparation for a marathon.
“Having said that, I was happy to win even though I would have liked to have run quicker.’’
Millmore crossed the line in 41st place overall (36:40) with Barlow, the leading veteran, 17 places further back.
Home-based Louise Talman completed the one-two-three in 39:29.